As would be obvious to one of skill in the art, there are a number of devices wherein an extendable/retractable (i.e., actuated) element is coupled to an actuator that provides for the extension and retraction movement thereof. Where it is desired or necessary to periodically decouple such an element from the actuator to which it is coupled, it can also be understood that a coupling system that facilitates decoupling (and re-coupling) would be advantageous.
Various devices may benefit from such a coupling system. Without limitation, one such device is a sampling device like that shown and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/823,655, filed on Jun. 25, 2010. One embodiment of this sampling device includes a substantially cylindrical and hollow outer (probe) tube of some length having concentrically arranged therein and at a distal end thereof, an assembly including an outer sleeve, an inner sleeve and an extendable sample capture element. The sample capture element is located to reciprocate within the probe tube and, more specifically, within the inner sleeve. The sample capture element is provided with a sample capture pocket that, during sample capture element extension, is exposed to and captures an amount of a sample of interest.
During use of this probe, the sample capture element is extended into a material of interest to capture a sample thereof and then subsequently retracted back into the tube. Consequently, the sample capture element is coupled to an actuator adapted to produce its extension and retraction. At the desired time, the actuator is activated to extend the sample capture element into and to subsequently withdraw the sample capture element from a material of interest, as described above.
As mentioned above, it may be desirable or necessary to decouple an actuated element from an actuator. This may be true for various reasons, many of which may depend on the design and construction of the device that incorporates the actuated element and/or on the nature of its use. In the case of the aforementioned sampling probe, decoupling of the actuator from the sample capture element and associated tube may be desirable, for example, to permit changing of the outer sleeve and/or to change the tubing that transfers material to and from the sample capture element. It may also be desirable to decouple an extendable portion of the sampling probe from the actuator simply for purposes of maintenance or cleaning. In any event, the probe coupling system and method of the present invention facilitates such decoupling and re-coupling.